Rethinking Rice Preparation for Highly Efficient Removal of Inorganic Arsenic Using Percolating Cooking Water

A novel way of cooking rice to maximize the removal of the carcinogen inorganic arsenic (Asi) is presented here. In conventional rice cooking water and grain are in continuous contact, and it is known that the larger the water:rice cooking ratio, the more Asi removed by cooking, suggesting that the Asi in the grain is mobile in water. Experiments were designed where rice is cooked in a continual stream of percolating near boiling water, either low in Asi, or Asi free. This has the advantage of not only exposing grain to large volumes of cooking water, but also physically removes any Asi leached from the grain into the water receiving vessel. The relationship between cooking water volume and Asi removal in conventional rice cooking was demonstrated for the rice types under study. At a water-to-rice cooking ratio of 12:1, 57±5% of Asi could be removed, average of 6 wholegrain and 6 polished rice samples. Two types of percolating technology were tested, one where the cooking water was recycled through condensing boiling water steam and passing the freshly distilled hot water through the grain in a laboratory setting, and one where tap water was used to cook the rice held in an off-the-shelf coffee percolator in a domestic setting. Both approaches proved highly effective in removing Asi from the cooking rice, with up to 85% of Asi removed from individual rice types. For the recycled water experiment 59±8% and 69±10% of Asi was removed, on average, compared to uncooked rice for polished (n=27) and wholegrain (n=13) rice, respectively. For coffee percolation there was no difference between wholegrain and polished rice, and the effectiveness of Asi removal was 49±7% across 6 wholegrain and 6 polished rice samples. The manuscript explores the potential applications and further optimization of this percolating cooking water, high Asi removal, discovery.

Brightness variation distributions among main belt asteroids from sparse light curve sampling with Pan-STARRS 1

The rotational state of asteroids is controlled by various physical mechanisms including collisions, internal damping and the Yarkovsky-O'Keefe-Radzievskii-Paddack (YORP) effect. We have analysed the changes in magnitude between consecutive detections of ∼ 60,000 asteroids measured by the PanSTARRS 1 survey during its first 18 months of operations. We have attempted to explain the derived brightness changes physically and through the application of a simple model. We have found a tendency toward smaller magnitude variations with decreasing diameter for objects of 1 < D < 8 km. Assuming the shape distribution of objects in this size range to be independent of size and composition our model suggests a population with average axial ratios 1: 0.85 ± 0.13: 0.71 ± 0.13, with larger objects more likely to have spin axes perpendicular to the orbital plane.

Survival of patients with skin melanoma in Europe increases further: Results of the EUROCARE-5 study

Background In Europe skin melanoma (SM) survival has increased over time. The aims were to evaluate recent trends and differences between countries and regions of Europe.

Methods Relative survival (RS) estimates and geographical comparisons were based on 241,485 patients aged 15 years and over with a diagnosis of invasive SM in Europe (2000-2007). Survival time trends during 1999-2007 were estimated using the period approach, for 213,101 patients. Age, gender, sub-sites and morphology subgroups were considered. 

Results In European patients, estimated 5-year RS was 83% (95% confidence interval, CI 83-84%). The highest values were found for patients resident in Northern (88%; 87-88%) and Central (88%; 87-88%) Europe, followed by Ireland and United Kingdom (UK) (86%; 85-86%) and Southern Europe (83%; 82-83%). The lowest survival was in Eastern Europe (74%; 74-75%). Within regions the intercountry absolute difference in percentage points of RS varied from 4% (North) to 34% (East). RS decreased markedly with patients' age and was higher in women than men. Differences according to SM morphology and skin sub-sites also emerged. Survival has slightly increased from 1999 to 2007, with a small improvement in Northern and the most pronounced improvement in Eastern Europe. 

Discussion SM survival is high and still increasing in European patients. The gap between Northern and Southern and especially Eastern European countries, although still present, diminished over time. Differences in stage distribution at diagnosis may explain most of the geographical differences. However, part of the improvement in survival may be attributed to overdiagnosis from early diagnosis practices.

A HuGE Review and Meta-Analyses of Genetic Associations in New Onset Diabetes after Kidney Transplantation

PURPOSE: New onset diabetes after transplantation (NODAT) is a serious complication following solid organ transplantation. There is a genetic contribution to NODAT and we have conducted comprehensive meta-analysis of available genetic data in kidney transplant populations.

METHODS: Relevant articles investigating the association between genetic markers and NODAT were identified by searching PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar. SNPs described in a minimum of three studies were included for analysis using a random effects model. The association between identified variants and NODAT was calculated at the per-study level to generate overall significance values and effect sizes.

RESULTS: Searching the literature returned 4,147 citations. Within the 36 eligible articles identified, 18 genetic variants from 12 genes were considered for analysis. Of these, three were significantly associated with NODAT by meta-analysis at the 5% level of significance; CDKAL1 rs10946398 p = 0.006 OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.11-1.85 (n = 696 individuals), KCNQ1 rs2237892 p = 0.007 OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.10-1.86 (n = 1,270 individuals), and TCF7L2 rs7903146 p = 0.01 OR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.07-1.85 (n = 2,967 individuals).

CONCLUSION: Evaluating cumulative evidence for SNPs associated with NODAT in kidney transplant recipients has revealed three SNPs associated with NODAT. An adequately powered, dense genome-wide association study will provide more information using a carefully defined NODAT phenotype.

Causes and five-year incidence of blindness and visual impairment in urban southern China:The Liwan Eye Study

PURPOSE. We determined the causes and five-year incidence of blindness and visual impairment (VI) in an adult, urban Chinese population. METHODS. Participants underwent a comprehensive eye examination at baseline in 2003 and then five years later. The World Health Organization (WHO) and United States (US) definitions were used to define incident blindness (WHO visual acuity [VA] < 20/400 in the better-seeing eye, US VA ≤ 20/200) and incident VI (WHO VA < 20/60-20/400, US VA < 20/40->20/200). RESULTS. Among 1405 baseline participants, 924 (75%) of 1232 survivors (87.7%) participated in the 5-year follow-up. The incidences of VI and blindness were 5.38% (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.99% ~ 7.07%) and 0.33% (95% CI 0.07% ~ 0.95%), respectively, based on the WHO definition, and 9.85% (95% CI 7.96% ~ 12.0%) and 1.42% (95% CI 0.76% ~ 2.41%), respectively, based on the US definition. Incidence of blindness and VI (WHO definition) increased significantly with older age (P < 0.001) and poorer baseline presenting VA in the worse-seeing eye (P < 0.001). The leading cause of best-corrected VI (WHO definition) was cataract (64.6%), whereas the main causes of presenting VI were refractive error (40.4%) and cataract (38.4%). CONCLUSIONS. The incidence of VI in urban Southern China is high. The major causes are unoperated cataract and undercorrected refractive error, reflecting the need for better surgical and refractive care, even in this urban setting. © 2013 The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.